No setbacks

Patriots coach Bill Belichick arrived for his Thursday press conference (10:45 a.m. EDT) in his trademark gray sweatshirt and indicated linebacker Tedy Bruschi remains on a positive course.

“He’s looked OK, he’s done what we’ve asked him to do,” Belichick said, when asked how Bruschi has looked in practice. “I don’t think he’s had any problem with it.”

Belichick was asked if a potential return by Bruschi, and defensive lineman Richard Seymour, would add to the team’s flexibility in defensive scheming. He said that wasn’t necessarily the case.

“I think we’re playing pretty much the same things,” he said. “The game-plans change a little bit week to week, so I don’t want to say we’ll do the same things we did last week. That wouldn’t be true, regardless of who was in there last week. What I don’t think you want to do is change 10 guys for one. Let the guys that have been doing what they are doing, and keep that as constant as you can within the framework of the defense or offense.”

Belichick was asked a variety of wide-ranging questions, including one on the production of receivers Deion Branch (37 catches) and David Givens (31 catches). He said Branch and Givens have “clearly established themselves as the two best receivers on the team.” He said a big part of the duo’s success has been their ability to stay on the field every week, “which hasn’t always been the case.”

After Belichick’s press conference, Director of Media Relations Stacey James announced Belichick wouldn’t be present for his Friday press conference. Belichick will be attending the funeral of Wellington Mara, the New York Giants co-owner who died on Tuesday. Belichick spoke fondly of Mara on Wednesday.

Looking ahead, we’ll file another update later today after the open locker room access period.

–Mike